Paper-tester



e. s. WlTHAM, JR.

PAPER TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1920.

Patented July 19,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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ifiika/w jj w L m W lwornw G. S. WITHAM, JR.

PAPER TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1920.

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K V m Z/////////////// ///////////////////4z/////////// G. S. WITHAM, JR.

PAPER TESTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1920.

1,385, 1 64. Patented July 19, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'uN TEDsTA Es PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE s. wrrnnm, an, or HUDSON FALLS, new YORK.

PAPER-TESTER.

' great importance, especially where it is necessary to determine the service quality of heavy .paper age and sacks. The paper used in the manufacture of large aper bags and sacks and like containers s ould be strong and yet should be flexible in order that it may be properly folded and the folds se cured.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, no instrument or. apparatus has been used for testing the flexibility or pliability of paper.

Such tests have heretofore been performed by hand, the sense of touch or feeling being relied upon and this, of course, varies with different individuals and gives riseto great confusion and many disputes as to the quality of the paper with respect to its flexi- ,bility and general serviceabihty.

An instrument for testing the flexibility and strength of paper should indicate the force required to bend the paper both lengthwise andcrosswise of the rain.

According to my invent on, I provide an instrument with devices for bending the paper both lengthwise and crosswise of the rain and with means for indicating the orce required to perform the bending operation.

' a pivotally mounted beam provided with ad.

The apparatus or instrument which I preferably employ comprises a device for holding a sample of paper to be tested, a piv otally mounted beam provided at one end with a device for engaging the paper and bending it inits support, and at its 0pp0 site end with means for applying weight to the beam. More specifically, the apparatus comprises a holder forthe paperto be bent,

justable weights and equipped on one'end with a bending device which forces the paper through its support, and at the opposite end witha receiver for a liquid supply by a l calibrated burette tube provided with a Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 14,

apers used in the manufacture of i 1920. Serial No. 381,289.

valve for regulating the amount of liquid Patented July 19, 1921.

supplied to the receiver, the amount of liquid 1 1 passin from the tube being indicated b the ca ibrations wh ch also show the force reiiuired to perform the bending operation.

11 the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of one form of the apparatus. V Fi ig. 2 shows a section on the line 2-2 of fig. 3 showsa section on the line 3 -3 of Fig 1. i 1g. 4 is a section on the line H of ig. is a perspective view of one form of bending device which may be employed.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 shows a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. a i

Fig. 8' shows a section on the line 8-8 of Fig-.6. a

Fig. 9 is a detail view ofa modified form ofbending device. i

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of this device.

The base A of the instrument may be provided with screws or by means of which it may be supported at the proper level. A SPII'lt level a iscarried by the base for an obvious purpose. To the base A is secured an upright post B towhich is pivotally coni nected a beam C similar to a scale beam.

This beam is provided with adjustable weights 0 which may be moved back and.

forth over the beam and set at'any desired p)lace thereon. The beam carries a pointer CO6p6Iat111gWltl1 a calibrated plate d marked to indicate the amount of movement given to the beam and hence the distance traversed by the bending device.

A burette; tube E is adjustablysupported at e in -a bracket F adjustably connected at f with the, post B. The tube is calibrated,

as shown, to indicate the amount of liquid passing from it, and thus the weight or force required to perform the bending operation.

The tube is equipped with a valve 6 by means of which theflow ofthe liquid may be regulated. Liquid assingfrom the tube drops into a receiver carried on one end of the beam C. At its opposite end the beam carries a bending device H which in this instance comprises a clam consisting of two members it, h adapted to receive between them a small sample ofpa- (Fig. 5)

per to be tested. The bending device is susl pended from the beam by a rod I having a hook 2' on its upper end, whichengages the beam in such manner that the bending device magibe suspended freely therefrom. A sample upright support 1 As shown, there are four pegs, two upper ones'l, Z and-two lower ones Z, Z. The lower pegs are arranged closer together than'the upper ones, and there'is'a-space between the upper and lower eg's inwhich a sample-of paper is held; The length of the sample is somewhat greater than the distance between the two upper pegs. The red I is passed centrally through the-sample and'the paper is moved between the pegs, and the device is connected 'with the beamin the manner shown. When this is done the beam is balanced or made to assume a horizontal position as in-, dieated in Fig. 1. This may be done by means of the weights 0. After this the valve e may be opened and liquidallowed to pass from the burette tube to the receiver G. 'When suffieient'liquid has been received to move the receiving end of the beam downwardly as indicated by dotted lines, the valve 6 should be elosed." When the beam thus moves, the sample of paper is moved flatwise upwardly between the pegs Z and is bent in the manner indicated by. dotted linesin Fig. l'without being ruptured. By

consulting the calibrated burette tube, the

'tem'indicate the force required to perform the bending operation. In this way the flexible .qualities of the paper may be determined with the greatestaccuraey.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, I have. shown a modifiedway of holding the paper and bending it. Most of the parts indicated in these figures are similar to those shownin Figs. 1 to 5 andthey are similarly lettered, but in this instance the upright is provided with a lateral projecting arm M having an opening m through it, the edges of which are curved as indicated at m. The opening m is slightly smaller in diameter than the paper sample X which is placed beneath it and is adapted to pass through it. The bending device N is hemispherical with its convex side uppermost, and it is attached to a rod 11. which extends through it. The lower end of the rod extends through an arm 0 projecting from the upright K, and it is guided thereby. The upper end of the rod is formed with a hook it detachably engaging another hook a removably supported on the beam C. V

The sample of paper X is, in this instance, circular, and the rod is passed through a hole in the sample and its upper end is conof the paper to be tested is held between. pegs pro ecting laterally from an which the paper rests is moved upwardly against the arm M which holds the edge portion of the paper during the first part of the bending operation, and then the bending de vice causes the paper to slide through the hole m and to assume the position shown in Fig. 6. The force required to perform the bending operation is indicated on the burette tube.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, where an arm 1 extending from the upright K is formed with an opening 19 arranged above two pegs g and the paper sample X is held between the arm P and the pegs. The bending device R is hemispherical and'is carried by a rod 7" extending through and guided by a bracket S projecting from the uprigl'lt. At its lower end the rod carries a roller t resting on the top of the beam C. \Vhen the adjacent end of the beam rises, the bending device is moved upwardly and pushes the paper through the opening in the bracket I.

In some cases it may be possible to perform the testing operation without taking anygreat amount of liquid from the burette tube. If the force required to perform the bending operation is known approximately the weights 0" may be so adjusted that the beam is weighted to nearly a sufiieient extent to perform the bending operation. Then by allowing a relatively small amount 01": liquidto pass from the burette tube to the receiver, the operation may be completed.

I have shown several eiiicient ways of carrying out my invention, but have not attempted to illustrate or describe other modifications which might be madeand which would be within the scope of my invention. The several devices shown and described illustrate the ways new best known to me for performingthe desired operations.

It will beobserved that when the paper passes through a device such as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, the paper. is bent both lengthwise andcrosswise of the grain, which is a desirable feature of the invention.

It will be further observed that the instrument does not rupture the paper but merely bends it, the centralpart of the paper being first bent and the marginal parts being moved horizontally in the support and then vertically therethrough. In this way the tensile strength of the paper is not confused with its flexibility or pliable qualities.

I claim as my invention 1, An instrument for testing the flexibility of paper comprising a support in which a sample of paper to be tested is loosely mounted, a bending device for bendin the paper both lengthwise and crosswise o the rain and for movin the paper flatwise t rou h the support, aiquid receptacle connecte with the bendin device and a calibrated tube for delivering liquid to the receptacle.

2. An instrument for testing the flexibility of paper, comprising a support in which a sample of pa or to be tested is loosely mounted, a hen ing device for moving the paper flatwise through its sup ort, a pivotally mounted beam with whic the device is-connected, and means for adding weight to one end of the beam, having devices for indicating the force required to perform the bending operation.

3. An instrument for testing the flexibility of paper comprising a support in which a sample of paper to be tested is loosely mounted, a bending device for moving the paper flatwise through its support, a iv-- otally mounted beam with one end of w 'ch the bending device is connected, an adjustable weight on the beam, a li uid receiver carried by the opposite end of t e beam, and a calibrated tube for delivering liquid to the receiver.

4. A device for testin the flexibility of paper, comprlsmg a part aving an opemng through it of smaller area than the sam 1e of paper to be tested, a bending device or moving the sample of paper through said opening a pivotally mounted beam with which the bending device is connected, an adjustable weight carried by the beam, a receiver for liquid carried by the beam, and a calibrated tube for supplying liquid to the receiver.

5. An instrument for testing the flexibility of paper, comprising a support on which a sample of paper to be tested is loosely mounted, a bending device engaging the under side of the paper for moving it flatwise through its support a pivotally mounted beam with which t e bending device is connected, means for adding wei ht to one end of the beam, having means or indicating the force required to perform the bending operation.

6. An instrument for testing the flexibility of paper, comprising a support in which a sample of paper to be tested is loosely mounted, a bending device for moving the paper flatwise through its support, a pivotall mounted beam with which the bending evice is connected, a liquid receiver on one end of the beam, and a calibrated tube arranged over the receiver and which is marked to indicate the force required to perform the bending operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed m name.

EORGE S. VVITHAM, JR. 

